Doctor Feathers stared at me, lost in thought. He was unsure how to answer. Especially since at that time I was young. It was the first time death had ever affected my life.

“Your father was a brave stallion.” He paused, trying to think of what to say. “If he didn’t sacrifice his life, many ponies could’ve been hurt.” He said. I was shaking, tears threatened to leave my eyes. I knew that if my father didn’t do it, everypony had a chance at dying.

“I know that…” I whispered as I began crying. I dropped the apple he had given me. “But why him? Why did my father have to be the one to save everypony?” I began to curl into a ball.

He allowed me to cry for a moment as he thought of what to say. “Spark, look at me.” I looked at him from behind my hooves. “It’s gonna be really difficult, but you’re just as strong as your father was. One day, you’ll stand tall like your father showed you to do.” He paused and came over to me. He hugged me. “I’m sorry we can’t do anything to bring him back.”

I accepted the hug, and cried for some time. Eventually, he wiped away my tears. “Let’s think about the future. What do you want to be when you grow up?” He asked trying to lighten the mood. I sat there and thought about it. I had never thought about it before. I just let life continue it’s route, taking me where it would. Now, I realized I had a decision.

I glanced down at the half eaten apple on the ground. It was there because of me. I slowly reached down and picked it up with shaky hooves. After an examination of it, I turned to Doctor Feathers. Even though I still had tears in my eyes, I spoke very clearly.

“I want to be part of Celestia’s Royal Guard.” I told him, taking a small bite of the apple. It had gotten some dirt on it from the ground, but that was literally the last thing on my mind.

Doctor Feathers was withdrawn for a moment. He didn’t expect such a response at all. After that though, was a small smile. “You really are like your father.” He commented before continued. “But why do you want to be a guard? Your life will be in constant risk above anypony else’s.” I realized what he was trying to say.

I looked directly at him when I spoke. “I’m going to be my father’s legacy.” There was a moment of silence between us. “My father told me to deal with problems in life head on.” He looked away.

“Spark, you realize what you’re saying, correct?” At that time, I thought I was so I nodded. “I see…” He paused, allowing what I said to sink in. He glanced over at me. It felt weird though.

I was the only other pony in the room with him. He was looking right at me, but at the same time it felt like he wasn’t looking at me at all. Like he saw somepony else in me.

He nodded. “If that’s your wish, I have no right to deny you.” He got up. “Let’s get back to your mother, she probably wants to be with you right now.” I know I surely wanted to be with her again.

I followed him back to my unit. I snuggled up with my mother. She had been crying, you could see it in her eyes. The doctor left moments later, leaving my mother and I alone again.

“Mom…” I started.

“Yes dear?” She replied. I knew anything she said wouldn’t make anything better.

“Why did Dad have to die to save everypony?” I spoke almost emotionless. Like I had been drained of everything I had. She looked down at me and wrapped me in a hug.

“Your father did it for the sake of everypony’s life. He knew he had to.” She said, struggling to get it out. I didn’t move, shutter, or even flinch.

“I want to be part of the Royal Guard.” I stated blankly. I didn’t know how my mother would react to that. She deserved to know though. She looked down at me in what seemed to be shock.

Then, all of a sudden, she started crying as she brought me closer. I hugged back, afraid that I said something wrong. “I understand.” She simply whispered. We stayed there hugging as she silently cried to herself for a longer while. Eventually, she did let go.

She looked out of our unit. Some of the guards had gathered children that survived in the nearby field and had them playing hoofball. All of them seemed to be really getting into it. Parents looked on, small smiles on a majority of their faces. Even in a very rough time, they tried their hardest to make the kids happy.

“Why don’t you go play too?” My mother suggested. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you play.” I looked out onto the field. I didn’t have any intention to get up at all. That is until I saw a very certain pony.

Well, at first, I spotted his mother spectating the game. My eyes rapidly searched the field. I spotted him on goalie of what was labeled as the blue side. Snowflake Bolt.

He was my closest of friends all my life. We first met through school. It wasn’t the best way to meet, but it’s what happened.

I was walking to my classroom from the front of the school. I was new and didn’t know anypony at all. It was scary making my way to the class. Once I made it into the main hallway with the classrooms in it, I was stopped by a couple other ponies.

They made rather rude comments and told me that I should ‘watch my back.’ It scared me a little more since they were the first ponies I came into contact with once I got through the door. I tried to rush past them, but they stopped me physically this time.

It was getting a bit bad and I was about to just start running, when all of a sudden another colt steps in between me and them.

“I’d leave him alone right now if I were you.” He spoke solidly. The bullies disregarded his comment and answered with a question.

“What’ll you do if we don’t? Tell on us?” They asked. This colt removed his saddlebags and stared at them. He stood up a little taller.

“If it’s a fight you want, I can answer that.” At that point I saw that he was willing to throw himself in the way just for me. He didn’t even know me. Without thinking, I stood up myself and stood right next to him. I don’t know why, but I wasn’t letting him just fight my battles. He glanced at me for a second, but then his gaze returned to the two opposing ponies.

Suddenly, as everything seemed like it was about to get bad, the bell rang. Signaling the time to get to class was now. The two ponies mouthed something as they turned and left. My protector shook his head a little, glaring hatred at the two.

I picked up his saddlebags and held them out for him. “Thank you.” I whispered. He turned at me with a smile and took his saddlebags.

“It was really nothing, they’re just bullies is all.” He put on his saddlebag. “My name’s Snowflake Bolt. Yours?” He asked. I had told him my name and followed him down the hall. Turns out, we were in the same class. I sat next to him, feeling protected by him.

Overtime, he became my best friend through it all. We had each other’s backs on anything that happened. Even though I wasn’t a good fighter, I would never back out if it seemed like it was about to break out. Luckily, it only did once.

I stood up from my unit. I wanted to run over there and tackle hug him. Had he not been in a game, I probably would have. “Go on, I’ll follow you.” My mother said standing up behind me with a small smile. I ran towards the field.

When I reached the field, I looped around to where Snowflake’s mother was. She apparently hadn’t noticed me, because she didn’t expect a sudden hug. She looked down and gasped.

“Spark, you’re here.” She said in awe. She smiled as my own mother followed up. The two met eyes, they both were glad to see each other. Through both Snowflake and I, our mother’s became quick friends. “So are you Rose.”

“I’m glad to see you again, Star.” My mother joined in the hug, all of separating after a couple seconds.

“One moment, I’m sure someone will wanna see you Spark.” Rose went over to the coach and he blew his whistle after a second. Snowflake was called off the field and a replacement goalie was brought in.

I could read his lips as he asked his mother why she needed him. All she did was point at me.

Both our faces lit up with smiles. He couldn’t believe I was alive, just like I couldn’t for him. He ran over to me at full speed ahead. I assume that he was really happy to see me, because he never stopped. He ran into me full steam ahead and knocked us both to the ground.

After a moment of recovering from the blow, we both started laughing. It felt so good to see him again. I rolled over, pushing him off me in the process. “I’m so glad you’re alive.” I said.

He looked at me with a wild smile. “The feeling is likewise. I was so afraid I lost everypony, but here you are!” He said getting up. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Go where?” I asked as I began to rise.

He pointed to a tree in the far back part of the area. “It’s a nice place to relax for a moment.” I turned to my mother who nodded.

“Alright, let’s go.” I smiled and followed him without any hesitation. I was so glad I had him there with me. We got to the tree and sat in it’s shade. “I can’t believe it…”

“Can’t believe what?” He asked. I had no problem opening up to him.

“Everything. Our lives just changed forever.” I commented. I looked downward. Still, a small smile somehow managed to stay on my face.

“Yeah, I understand that.” He said. He obviously didn’t know what had happened. “At least we all got out alive, right? So we can all have those family picnics sometime again soon.” I turned to him.

My eyes felt dark as they gazed at him. I wanted to resist telling him, but either way he’d find out soon. “My father is dead. He sacrificed his life so everypony else could escape freely.”

He stared at me with widened eyes, mouth slightly open as he searched for words. He looked as if he was going to cry. “Spark…” He was still gathering the strength to say anything. “I’m… so sorry…”

“No…” I stopped him. “Don’t be… He did it for everypony. He knew what he was doing.” I’d known that the whole time. From the moment the door opened, he knew that he was going to die. Everypony on that section of the train knew.

“I know it. Still, it hurts to think that he’s really gone.” My father was like a step father for Snowflake. He hurt as much as I did. The thoughts running through each our minds were mixed up and so unorganized. I scooted closer to Snowflake and wrapped a hoof around him in a half hug for some comfort. He looked at me, and then away.

After about a minute, I spoke up to break the silence. “Hey Snowflake.” I said, trying to sound joyful.

“Yeah?” I could tell he didn’t expect my father’s death. It was hitting him hard.

“What’s your dream?” I asked. He looked at me, confusion on his face. “What do you want to achieve when you grow older? What do you want to be?” He looked off into the distance.

“I don’t know, Spark. Haven’t got the slightest of clues.” He answered. I took my hoof from around him and sat straight up. “What about you?”

A grin appeared on my face of the thought. I closed my eyes, trying to stop the forming tears. “I’m going to become part of the Celestia’s Royal Guard… I’m going to train as hard as possible to be the best guard they’ve ever had… I’m going to be my father’s legacy…” I felt tears falling from my face as I tried to maintain a smile.

Snowflake was silent until I opened my eyes and looked at him. He put his hoof on my shoulder. “That’s wonderful, Spark…” He cracked a small smile. “I’ll help you every way I can. I promise.”

I wanted to full on cling to him and start crying my eyes out. Instead I simply nodded. “Thank you, Snowflake.”

“Anything for you.” He said as we both turned to look out towards Canterlot. “We should probably head back soon. Lunch will be ready.” He said, trying to clear our minds off what had happened.

We stood up and slowly started heading back towards everypony else. He promised to help me every way he could. He wasn’t going to let me down either. Snowflake wasn’t one to let others down.

Author's Note

Too OG for a real Author's Note.